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2X Founder · Entrepreneur · Mixed Martial Artist

Awane
Jones

I'm a 2X co-founder and product leader with 20+ years of experience building transformative products from concept to market realization. Throughout my entrepreneur journey I have also raised millions of dollars in funding from venture capital and institutions. Alongside this, two decades of disciplined practice in Mixed Martial Arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu trained under Firas Zahabi at Tristar Gym. This journey has shaped my resilience, focus, and composure under pressure. Two ventures. One acquisition. One Exit.

Venture 01 · Acquired

Phenomena
VR eSport Arena

Co-Founded · Acquired by HeroZone VR

A free-roam, multi-player VR platform built for arena operators and location-based entertainment venues. Deployed across 22 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Multiple game titles including the number 1 laser tag game ever VERSUS, and other titles that have had millions of plays. Ultimately acquired by HeroZone VR — the validation of years of building.

Up to 8 simultaneous free-roam players per arena
Deployed across LBE venues in 22 countries across 4 continents
Secured venture capital funding
Acquired by HeroZone VR

Universal Pictures

The Mummy
VR Experience

Venture 02

On stage — 5th Wall Agency

5th Wall

Co-Founded · Exit

Built around augmented reality and virtual reality experiences, 5th Wall grew into a full-solution digital agency delivering AR, VR, and 360° content for major brands such as Universal Pictures, Twitter, and Ubisoft.

Created The Mummy VR with Tom Cruise
Created Masquerade Ball VR
Created all the AR projects with Twitter
Clients: Bell, Universal, Ubisoft, Deloitte, Twitter

Universal Pictures

The Masquerade
Ball

The Journey

Career
in full.

Now

Post-Acquisition Operator

HeroZone VR

Growing the platform and operator network globally following the acquisition of Phenomena. Expanding venue partnerships, launching Terminator VR, and defining the next era of free-roam location-based entertainment.

✦

Acquisition by HeroZone VR

Phenomena VR eSport Arena

Phenomena VR eSport Arena was acquired by HeroZone VR — the milestone that validated years of building a product the market didn't know it needed. One startup. One exit.

Successful Exit · 2026

2017—

Co-Founder & CEO

Phenomena VR eSport Arena

Co-founded and scaled Phenomena into an internationally deployed free-roam VR platform. Led product vision, HTC hardware partnerships, go-to-market strategy, and secured government grants — CMF, NRC IRAP, Canexport, Mitacs. Raised $4M+. Presented at IAAPA worldwide. Montreal Chapter President of the VR/AR Association.

2016—

General Manager

ZONE3 Inc.

ZONE3 Inc. produces TV shows, Films, & Virtual Reality. Its products include sitcoms, dramas, documentaries, variety/game shows, and youth-oriented shows. The company produces its products in English and French and provides programming for broadcasters in Canada and abroad. ZONE3 Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Montreal, Canada with an additional office in New York, New York.

2015—

Co-Founder

5th Wall Agency

Co-founded 5th Wall, a full-solution AR/VR digital agency. Built immersive experiences for Bell, Universal, Twitter, Ubisoft, Deloitte, and Desjardins. The bridge between Merchlar's tech roots and Phenomena's platform ambitions.

2011—

Founder & CEO

Merchlar

Founded Canada's first augmented reality company. Built AR experiences for Universal Pictures, Alliance Films, Twitter, the Montreal Canadiens, and NBC's The Voice. Named Best New Technology Company (Quebec Entrepreneurs). Represented Canada at the G20 Summit in Mexico. Speed of Trust Ventures-backed. Keynote speaker at SXSW, C2, and Capital Innovation. Top 20 Under 30 in Canada.

2009—

Founder & CEO

Monumental Technologies

Where it all started. Built the world's first augmented reality mobile platform for artists to create their own applications at zero cost — a mobile music community that evolved into what became Merchlar.

First Venture · 2009

Where I operate best

Six areas.
All hard-won.

VR & AR

Free-roam VR platforms, LBE hardware-software integration, multi-player real-time systems deployed globally.

0 → 1 Company Building

Twice over. From naming a company to closing the first enterprise deal. Finding product market fit and then scaling globally.

B2B Sales & Operator Partnerships

Enterprise sales to venue operators, arena owners, and LBE chains. Patience, persistence, and adding AI to streamline go to market initiatives.

International Expansion

Taken products to North America, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Latin America. IAAPA, trade shows, and on-the-ground operator development.

Fundraising & Government Grants

Raised millions in VR Funding. CMF, NRC IRAP, Canexport, Mitacs, private investment. Navigated both the Canadian government funding landscape and private capital markets.

Strategic Partnerships

Bytedance, PICO, HTC, Bell, Universal Pictures, Warner, Ubisoft, Deloitte, Toyota and hundreds of customers for the last 2 decades. Building ideas to tangible products that customers use.

Beyond Business · Mixed Martial Arts

The same
mindset.
Every day.

Long before pitching investors, I was learning to fight. I train mixed martial arts under Firas Zahabi at Tristar Gym in Montreal — the same coach who trained Georges St-Pierre and some of the world's elite fighters.

It's not a hobby. It's a philosophy. The discipline of stepping into a gym every day, getting humbled, studying technique, and grinding toward mastery directly shaped how I build companies. You learn to lose without quitting. You learn to stay calm under pressure. You learn that preparation is the only thing you control.

"The gym taught me what no business school could — how to absorb pressure and keep moving forward." — Awane Jones, at Tristar Gym

Discipline forged in
the gym.
Applied in the boardroom.

AwaneJones

PhenomenaVR eSport Arena

The MummyVR Experience

5th Wall

The MasqueradeBall

Careerin full.

Six areas.All hard-won.

The samemindset.Every day.

Get intouch.